For the second straight week, New England is squaring off with an opponent currently in the AFC playoff picture that’s a good measuring stick game for the rebuilding Patriots.
After a better showing last week in Buffalo, the Patriots must prove that their competitive approach vs. the Bills wasn’t just a one-off performance. Building some late-season momentum will solidify the Patriots process under head coach Jerod Mayo heading into the 2025 offseason. Following a loss in Arizona, New England was much more competitive against their division rivals. Now, it’s about stacking good games together to end the season.
Along with using Saturday’s game vs. the Chargers as a litmus test, Los Angeles’s fortunes since drafting franchise quarterback Justin Herbert sixth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft is a good teaching tool for the Patriots rebuild. With all due respect to the Chargers, one thought that comes to mind when evaluating Herbert’s first four seasons as it pertains to New England is, “Don’t waste four years of Maye by spinning the tires.”
Los Angeles selected Herbert with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Herbert was an instant-impact starter. The Chargers QB1 ranks ninth in ESPN’s total QBR metric since entering the NFL, finishing in the top five twice, with an above-average 59.6 out of 100 QBR this season (15th among 34 QBs).
Although they have a 26-year-old stud quarterback, Herbert is on his third head coach and fourth offensive coordinator. The Chargers have played in one playoff game during his career, a shocking 31-30 loss to the Jaguars, where they led 27-0 in the second quarter of the 2022 Wild Card round. In the following season, the Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley after starting 5-9, setting up Herbert to be on his third head coach.
Herbert has been fantastic but even having the quarterback figured out hasn’t led to team success for the Chargers. From this perspective, that’s the fear…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at News…